CHELTENHAM powered their way to an impressive ten-wicket home humbling of Corsham on the opening day of the WEPL season.
The visitors won the toss in this Premier Two Glos & Wilts clash but were quickly regretting their decision to bat as wickets tumbled, led by George Pritchard (4-7), Jack Cherrington (3-18) and James Boyle (2-25).
Corsham, who last season finished second, were rushed out for only 99 before Worcestershire’s Gareth Roderick and Dexter Purser knocked off the required runs in only 17 overs, finishing on 53 and 42, respectively.
Dumbleton also made a strong start, easing past Hatherley & Reddings by 115 runs with Dan Holland (70) and Charlie Garratt (56) impressing before Ollie Horne crashed an unbeaten 51 from only 24 and followed up with a haul of 5-46.
Promoted Tewkesbury folded to a 101-run home setback against Painswick for whom Rogan Wolhuter hit 50 and Hampshire’s Benny Howell 37.
In Premier One, Frocester crushed promoted Downend by 213 runs with Gloucestershire’s Ed Middleton playing a starring role with bat and then ball.
The all-rounder anchored the visitors’ innings of 352-9 with an unbeaten 123 from 124 (13 fours, four sixes) at the top of the order, skipper Will Naish hammering 78.
And Middleton followed up with a return of 4-18 from 5.4 overs of leg spin as Downend folded to 139 all out.
Bristol, meanwhile, held their nerve for a two-run home triumph against promoted Thornbury who wilted from 166-3 to 221 all out.
South African Jake Carstens followed up a patient 53 earlier in the day with a haul of 4-28 from ten overs of left-arm spin to foil the visitors whose top scorer was New Zealander Robbie O’Donnell (70).
Bedminster rallied from 37-5 to total 173 at Bridgwater but it never looked enough as the home side cantered in by eight wickets.
Golden Hill produced one of the bowling displays of the day to edge Lansdown by five runs in Premier Two Bristol & Somerset.
The Bath side appeared to be cruising to the points at 195-6 in their pursuit of a target of 201. But the final four wickets fell in ten balls without a run being added, Dan Broome starring with a return of 3-19 while there were also three wickets for Ahmed Syed.
Bishopston succumbed by four wickets at home to Congresbury while promoted OB Westbury lost by 51 runs at Weston-super-Mare.
Promoted Aston Ingham made the best possible start to life in the Gloucestershire division with an 18-run home triumph over Chipping Sodbury, Mikey Gooch contributing a crucial unbeaten 54.
Langford crushed Thornbury 2nds by 290 runs, Freddie Webb (78) and Harry Stevens (72) setting the tone in a total of 334-7 before the home side were rushed out for only 44, Tom Stevens grabbing 4-12 from seven.
Hawkesbury Upton saw off Gloucester by four wickets, Charlton Kings were 24-run victors away to Frocester 2nds with Charlie Watkins cracking 109 off 140 (ten fours, three sixes), and Bourton Vale overcame Stroud by 89 runs, Will Faulkner finishing with 4-31 from ten.
In Bristol & North Somerset, promoted Frenchay saw off Brislington by 120 runs while Pak Bristolians also celebrated their return to WEPL with a 13-run home triumph against Knowle, Subham Razaq claiming 3-29 from ten.
Bristol Pakistanis, promoted to WEPL for the first time in their history, slipped to a six wicket home defeat against Twyford House for whom Parik Shetty bagged 4-19 from ten.
Bristol West Indian Phoenix overwhelmed Bedminster 2nds by 205 runs and Bristol 2nds were two wicket winners away to Bradley Stoke & Almondsbury, George Harris capturing 5-45 from ten.